A savvy waiver-wire pickup on defense and a revamped third line are quietly driving Toronto's recent surge.
It's not the stars or the usual suspects leading the Toronto Maple Leafs out of the depths of the Eastern Conference standings.
Instead, as the team nears the end of a critical, potentially season-defining road trip, it's the unheralded players buried at the bottom of the roster who have stepped into the spotlight.
From an unexpected contributor on the blue line to a suddenly energized third line, these overlooked pieces are the ones most responsible for the Leafs winning three of their last four games and breathing new life into a season that very much looked to be slipping away.